Contents:
Ping
Soki
Obvious exits:
North <N> leads to Overgrown Lands - Route 11: Off the Route.

Snow flurries drift silently down from the pale grey sky. The air is damp and cold, and there is little wind. In the forest, snowflurries dust the bare branches of the broadleaves and the needles of the conifers. While at the coast, light snowflakes sprinkle the glossy, black, and calm surface of the ocean.

Snow, as usual. What a surprise, consider that it's winter. This, in turn, drives many of the warmth-loving species like Sandslashes into the shelter of human civilization, or the outskirts therein such as the farm. A particular specimen of the aforementioned species, Soki, sits at the back in a pile of straw that's been carved into the shape of a crater, exactly like his old nest from so long ago. He is, as always, silent and motionless.

Well, it was nice while it lasted. Yet again the weather is awful, and the pokemon who were so joyous to see the sunshine once again are cooped up in the barn tonight, more grumbly than ever. A couple pokemon in the barn are cheerful today, however, and they're nuzzled up in the corner, cheek to cheek, eyes closed. Their puppies are nuzzled next to them, all asleep except for one, who stares at the ceiling aimlessly and hopes for her siblings to wake up already. The scent of Rattata hang in the air, though most of the meat has been picked dry. Looks like despite the terrible weather, Peppy was still able to nab something to eat. So now he's got a satisfied belly (not full; nothing can fill up Peppy's tummy) and a warm spot with his mate. If a human were to come along and start scritching him, he might as well die before he awakens.

Ping the Clefairy is busying herself by shining her bowl. It doesn't really need shining, as the snow cleaned it when she used it as a shovel, but it occupies her all the same. She does so in mostly silence, and it is apparent that she is thinking to herself as much as she is working on the bowl. Her wings move as she breathes, rubbing a scrap of material that was lying around over the dented metal.

Silent and motionless, but with his eyes open. It's actually a more disturbing pose than Soki usually assumes, and the eyes make the entire difference. With his eyes closed, Soki simply appears tranquil and meditative. With them open, however, the amount of thought behind them is almost eerily apparent simply by looking into them. Few pokemon actually have today; either by general disinterest or the unnerving will to look away once they've looked at him. At last this state of affairs ceases and Soki moves, as much as turning and saying, <What's on your mind, Ping?> causes motion. He's got to do something today.

Peppy's breathing is soft, and though he is lying on his stomach, it's easy to see that his chest is not expanding and withdrawing very intensely. He growls something very quietly as he shifts into Aurora further, though whether he's actually telling her something or merely muttering in his sleep is a mystery. A particularly cold gust of wind makes its way into the barn, ruffling the pup's fur, sending a jolt down his spine. One eye blinks open. Peppy grumbles something, blinks open the other eye, lifts his head to the ceiling, and lets forth a giant yawn, jaws separating far apart. He keeps yawning for a full ten second, and when he finally brings his head down his eyes are watering. He smacks his chops once or twice, groggily ascends to all fours, and makes his way zombie-like over to the Rattata. What's he going to feast on, its bones?

The Clefairy looks up from her bowl, blinking a few times. "Clefairy, fay." <Lots of stuff, Soki,> she answers simply. She gives the bowl another shine before yawning a bit and musing, <Bein' in here gives you lots of time to think 'bout stuff. What 'bout you?> For the moment, Ping is ignoring Peppy. In fact, she's completely avoided him ever since she entered the farm several weeks ago. She avoids even more intensly any dead Rattata about in the barn.

Navarone has connected.

Soki laughs almost cruelly, but stifles it before (he hopes) Ping can realize that it's an evil chortle. <I could not begin to tell you the things that I have pondered lately,> he says, quite truthfully. With a laugh that's far more jovial (and also more noticable, by intent), he adds, <I assume it's the same way with you?>

Peppy must really not be awake, because he's proceeded to chew on the bones of the Rattata. There's nothing wrong with a dog wanting to munch on bones, of course, but there is something wrong when said dog is tearing the bones off of the Rattata's ribcage and attempting to eat them. And so Peppy spends a good minute or two wondering why the food doesn't really taste like food and why the pieces aren't small enough to swallow yet, until finally, that slow brain of his wakes up enough to figure out what's going on. Peppy stops chewing for a moment, opens his eyes wide, and spits the pieces out. By now they're little broken pieces... supposing there aren't parts of chipped teeth in there or something. <Yeccch!> barks the pup disgustedly, invoking a grumble from Aurora, who rolls over onto Peppy's spot and mutters something under her breath. <That didn't taste like Rattata,> he tells himself quietly, peering at the Rattata with animosity.

Ping shrugs a bit. "Fairy clefaire." <Y'can always begin,> she says thoughtfully. She sighs and looks down at her bowl, looking at her reflection in it. <Gettin' somewhere's the hard part.> She grins a little bit toward Soki, but is interrupted by Peppy's bark. There are always occasional barks, chrips, grunts, and other outbursts in the barn, but once Ping identifies this specific one as Peppy's, she sighs. She then turns back to Soki, ready to continue speaking unless he has something to say first.

Soki nods encouragingly at Ping. For all the thinking he's done in that mad alchemy set that is his brain, verbalizing the concepts has never crossed his mind. Therefore, rather than make the attempt (and, upon further thought, he wouldn't want to in the first place given the environment), he eggs on Ping. <True,> he says. <Thinking of going somewhere?>

Now that he's hacking up pieces of bone, Peppy can safely say he's wide awake at this point. After all the little white pieces make up a little drool-covered pile on the floor, Peppy proceeds to scan the barn, just in case somebody is laughing at him. Or wondering if he's okay, but he's more concerned over people mocking him. Ping doesn't ring a bell in his mind, but Soki does, and the pup's tail wags at the sight of the Sandslash. He must not remember what Soki thinks about eating other pokemon. Picking himself up, coughing just one more piece of bone (this makes Aurora growl something a little more translatable... <You okay, Peppy?> He doesn't even get a chance to reply, for she's already asleep once more. He just grins at her, before heading over to the two conversing pokemon.

Somewhere, a blue haired boy selects the right shade of lipstick. (Eee! Saving!)

Ping shakes her head. "Fairy." <Nah, not really,> she says. <I don't know where to go, that's the problem.> She grins again, flitting her wings slightly. <D'you think--> the Clefairy is cut off once again, this time not by a loud noise but by the simple fact that Peppy is approaching. She quiets, stepping back a bit and looking at him.

As the sky darkens, and the sun falls below the horizon, so do some pokemon wander outside to begin their nightly rituals, be it hunting or whatnot. Other pokemon return to their humble abodes, to wait out the night until dawn breaks. And example of the latter would be Navarone, who just arrived at the barn a short while ago. Squeezing himself through the barn doors, they give off a barely audible squeak. Once inside and sheltered from the chill winter outside, he shakes himself rigourously, sending a cloud of snow-dust into the air as well as fluffing up his winter fur significantly. Once done, he trots over to his place of rest; only to spot a trio of pokemon, now gathered around in a rough circle. Even with his unfocused vision, he can easily make out Peppy's and Ping's shapes, but the Sandslash puzzles him somewhat. This pokemon, he does not recognize, and as such, he trots ever closer to the trio, wanting to find out who the Sandslash is that Peppy and Ping is talking to... at least, until his plans are cut short by his stepping into Peppy's pool of mixed drool and bone. He pauses, and then looks down at his lifted paw, and at the pool. He takes a sniff at his soaked paw.. Ugh. Bad idea. The smell almost sends him reeling back disgustedly, as he now tries to wipe his paw on some straw, aiming to rid himself of his companion's saliva.

Soki waves to Peppy, which comes out as a mere arc of his paw terminating at his hip, and accompanies it with a <Hello.> The Growlithe's approach doesn't deter Soki from paying attention to Ping in the slightest; nor does Navarone's entry to the barn. The latter's lack of effect can likely be attributed to the fact that such entries and exits are commonplace. If Navarone had entered bloodied and yelled "The Ghostish are coming! The Ghostish are coming!", there would have been a much different reaction. <You were saying?> Soki prompts, attempting get the end of "d'you think" from her.

As Peppy comes closer to Ping, he gives her a vapid little grin, though it's quite obvious to see that he's either pretty intent on ignoring her or doesn't remember who she is. Given this is Peppy we're talking about, it's pretty likely that it's the latter. Plop plop plop. Peppy's paws make little thumps on the wood, and it comes to a conclusion with a loud "whump!" as he sits down on his rump, wagging his tail excitedly. <Hi...> He looks as though he's going to say something else, but his eyes narrow and his mouth stays open. Looks as though he's forgotten the Sandslash's name. His jaw snaps shut, and he grins cheerfully, trying to play it off. <What are you talking about? Can I talk too?>

Darkness closes in early as thick grey clouds block the sun. A light snow is falling. There is scant wind.

Peppy's arrival either distracts Ping from her thought, or makes her not want to continue, because she shakes her head. "Fairy, fay," <Nothin',> she tells Soki, even though she's now looking at Peppy. She hasn't quite figured out Peppy yet, and doesn't realize he's simply forgotten her. She frowns, and takes a few steps back, looking down.

Being ignored doesn't really affect Navarone all that much, as he's still rather busy trying to remove the sticky liquid off his sorry paw. After wiping his paw on the hay-beds countless times, he settles for the cold dampness, and instead of trying to flame-dry it, he just pads over to the trio. For the most part, he's delighted to see Ping; she's been an absolute joy to talk with, and a most amusing friend. Though his little Clefairy friend is a sight for sore eyes, tonight's not the case. The Clefairy's downcast face brings some minute measure of worry to Navarone, as he trots a little faster to accomadate for the urgency of the situation. As he comes closer, he slows down, and seats himself on his haunches, facing Ping's side. He bends his head down sideways, trying to glance at Ping's sad face. <What's wrong, Ping? Something bothering you?.. Or someone?> The latter query is spoken with an almost accusing tone, as he looks over the Growlithe and the Sandslash. He doesn't introduce himself. Looks like Streetwind must'ave rubbed off him.

Snow flurries fall from a darkening grey sky.

It amazes, the way people can communicate with only their eyes. Soki is one of these people. As Navarone looks at him, Soki looks back, subliminally conveying the message that suspicion is, in this case, extremely unwarranted. Though, the question itself is sound, and Soki would actually like to know the answer himself. But when it comes to further knowledge and defense of his honor, Soki puts honor first.

Peppy gives the little fairy a grin, before turning his head back to Soki. <Don't be scared of me,> he growls to her softly, widening his grin a bit so that his teeth show. Not exactly the brightest of ideas when you're trying to prove you're not a bad guy. <I won't hurt you.> He doesn't expect his words will have much influence, for he himself wouldn't believe them if a Katerwaul, Bulbasaur, or Jynx belched forth the same thing, so he turns his head back to Soki. He opens his mouth to speak, but Navarone sticks his head into the conversation, and the Growlithe's head whiplashes (he's going to crack it one of these days) over to the Vulpix. He gives the other fire type a peer, followed by a "Grrr-lithe" of a greeting. He seems entirely oblivious to anything Navarone may be suggesting.

Ping doesn't seem comforted by Peppy's words. Before, she was only worried that he didn't like her. Now the thought of the fire-type actually hurting her enters her mind. Navarone's enterance surprises Ping, and she hops a bit and looks to the Vulpix. "Fay!" she says, an exclamation echoing the surprise on her face more than anything. She then smiles and shakes her head quickly. "Fairy, cle, clefairy." <Oh, no, of course not,> she lies.

To Soki's little gaze, he simply 'hmmph's softly to himself, and gazes away indifferently. And Peppy's head whiplashing his way doesn't stir him even is it's just a little bit; He's seen him swing his head abruptly his way before, and often because of his unannounced arrival. As of late, Peppy hasn't been his greatest concern, and the Snadslash didn't really make much of a first impression on him either. And so he turns back to the object of his attentions and his concerns. Ping's little fib is caught mid-flight by Navarone, as he sees through the lie like one looks through glass. <Really?>, he questions, almost sneeringly. <Are you sure? Or do you wish to discuss it another time?>

Apparently Ping's made some new friends in the time between when Soki's last seen her. That's fine with Soki, but like a concerned parent, he'd like to know about this new pokemon before he lets Ping go anywhere with him. ...and that thought hits Soki like a ton bricks, causing him to blink several times. He's thinking... like a parent. Something he swore he'd never get into. Well, nature works in funny ways, he supposes, such that if he's not going to have kids of his own, he's still going to take up the mentality with smaller pokemon. As all this thought goes on, Soki is completely oblivioius to the conversation around him. Ah, the mind of a thinker...

If Peppy notices that Ping is still uncertain about him he doesn't let on, for this Growlithe can only focus on one thing at a time, and right now, the object of his attention is Navarone. The Vulpix seems almost rude today, almost accusing, and Peppy's fall falls slightly as he watches the other fire type... Well. He doesn't exactly attack Ping, but he's definitely doing something to her, and it doesn't seem nice in the Growlithe's book. <Navarone...> Peppy whimpers softly, leaning towards the Vulpix, his front paws stepping out a pace or two. <Is something the matter?> And he doesn't even realize that he might be the one causing it all! For now, Peppy's forgotten about Soki; undoubtedly, if the Sandslash does anything at all, it'll surprise the poor pup to death.

The firefox's question makes Ping think a moment, and her light smile turns into an even lighter, weak grin. She doesn't notice she's beginning to sweat. The Pokemon isn't sure quite how to handle this situation, but decides to take matters into her own hands. "Fairy clefairy." <Oh,> she says. <You and Peppy know one another?> she asks. <Do you both know Soki?> She gestures over to the former Ronin, once again Soki and now a Sandslash, trying to change the subject away from her aversion to seeing Peppy.

Soki's deep thinking is momentarily ignored; it's not like he could be bothered by what he thinks. Let him amuse himself. Turning to Ping, he tries to offer an answer to her troubles.. then Peppy butts in. It almost takes him all of his patience and constraint to not growl at the pup. But some amount of annoyance does sneak into his voice. <Yes Peppy?>, he answers when the pup calls his name. And once again, he answers, flatly. <Nothing's the matter Pep. At least, that's the case with me. Unlike our friend here..> And his one eye strays it's gaze towards the Clefairy, now beginning to crack under the pressure of the one's surrounding her. <I do, actually>, he answers the first of Ping's queries. Upon the second though, his attention is once again directed at the Sandslash. <I don't. You must be the one Ping was talking about, who took over Zenny's position after he left. Pleasure to meet you.> Of course, the last part is said with much politeness, but lacking in sincereity.

Soki snaps out of his daze and bows as much as one can from a sitting position. It comes out as an extremely long nod. <A pleasure to meet you, too,> he says, with a nearly equal tone to Navarone's. He refrains from refining Navarone's image of the Team; in Soki's opinion, there's no such thing any more. But, that's an issue for another day. Now, Small Talk is the name of the game, a game that Soki hasn't trained to play but nonetheless gives his best effort when he has to. <I take it that you're a friend of Ping's?> he inquires. This time his voice carries much more interest.

Any other pokemon would jump up the moment Ping mentioned there name in a circumstance like this. And the thing is, Peppy does lift his eyes in surprise... and immediately barks, <Soki!> He glances over at the Sandslash, tail wagging, eyes bright. <That's your name!> Never mind that Ping just somehow mentioned him by name. He continues this pose for a few moments longer, wagging happily all the while and only idly following the conversation. He picks up a piece here or there... <Nothing's the matter>... <I do>... <After he left>... but for the most part, Peppy's now in the process of wondering if Soki remembers his name. Soki's a hard name to remember, but Peppy's easy! Right? He idly notes the little light-colored one as 'Ping', but doesn't think much of it.

The night is raw. Snow flurries drift down from the overcast sky.

Ping blinks at Peppy absently. The conversation has shifted away from her, giving her some precious time to recover, and she'll take it by... trying to figure out the Growlithe. He may be a simple pup, but without that knowledge, he seems amazingly complicated. She'll be ready to intervene if things get heated between Soki and Navarone, but since they both are rational Pokemon, Ping worries little about such things.

<I happen to be, yes>, Nav answers the Sandslash. <Name's Navaro-> And then Peppy shouts. He's starting to be a real pain nowadays. He shakes it off, once again smiling at the Sandslash insincerely to apologize for his 'friend'. <As I was saying, Navarone.> He speaks almost enthusiastically towards Soki, as if he wants the Sandslash to remember his name, and remember it well. <I just met Ping recently. She's been... enlightening, to say the least. And I was just wondering about her best interests, that's all..> he says, cricking his neck as an afterthought. It's subtle, but it sounds almost apologetic in tone, as if he were saying sorry for his earlier suspicions. <And if anything, Ping here seems to be going through some sort of problem.> He then gets up to all fours, and starts pacing around the group; an action that will no doubt irratate at least someone. But that's Navarone for you, always rattling someone's cage. <Would you care to share it with us, dear Ping?>

Somewhere, a blue haired boy selects the right shade of lipstick. (Eee! Saving!)

In the manner of one who wants to get something said before they lose the opportunity, Soki says, <Very well, then. Those that care about my friends have my full trust, Navarone.> With a concluding nod (his signature gesture, it appears), Soki turns his head to Ping, realizing that the combined attention of two people's probably going to be a bit too much peer pressure, and therefore averts his gaze slightly, retaining a small angle of vision just so he doesn't appear to be inattentive.

Yes, it's easy to establish that Peppy isn't the brightest apple in the barrel, but he's full of surprises. Sometimes he can pop out something intelligent beyond his years of intelligence. And then, sometimes, he pulls things like this out. <There...> He looks to Ping. <There's something wrong with her?> As though her backing away, her insecure tone of voice, her frightened face don't give her away! His eyes furrow, and his cheerful look fades into something of a frown. <Is there anything I can do to help?>

This is too much for Ping. Between Navarone and Soki's pressure and Peppy's confusing actions, the Clefairy just has to ask, "Fairy fay?!" <Didn't you tell me to go away, Peppy?!> She sighs, shaking her head. <Weren't you the one? Did you think I just forgot!?> Her eyes are pleading, Peppy's rejection hit her at a painfully critical time. Her hands clasp together to echo her question.

Despite Soki's best attempts at warming up to the firefox, Navarone still harbours some amount of suspicion towards the Sandslash. Maybe it's those quills, or those large claws on his arms, that somehow sets him up on the defense almost automatically. The fact that he's evolved and much, much larger also contributes to his behaviour. Turning back to Ping, Peppy's sudden helpfulness jitters the fox somewhat. Peppy, despite having gone through his own share of troubles, isn't the most obvious choice of shoulder to lean on. Maybe it's that very moment that Navarone begins to question his own stand on the situation-- he's not exactly the greatest candidate either. Or so he thinks. And then Ping's little outburst burst forth. And as she goes on, he turns his head, alternating his gaze between Peppy and Ping, his face now painted with shock. When he does come to his senses, his face tenses somewhat, and with a slight snarl, takes his place alongside Ping, facing Peppy head on. <What's the meaning of all this Peppy?>, he asks of the pup, though it sounds more like a direct order. The same can be said of the order he adds to it. <Explain!>

Soki is pretty darned confused as well. This is unusual behavior for Ping, and he above all should know. While still sitting, he looks to Ping and her expression, then to Peppy and his expression, then back to Ping for a body language check, to Peppy for a similar exam, and finally to Navarone, who's just demanded an explanation that Soki happens to want as well. Helpfully, he adds, <*Both* of you explain.> Then, he holds up his arms in the "shush, we're moderating here" expression and elaborates, <Preferably not at the same time.>

Peppy starts up onto all fours, his eyes wide open, his mouth springing open into a gasp. Navarone or Soki might be surprised by his pose, but he doesn't seem to want to attack her. His eyes shoot from Vulpix to Clefairy, Vulpix to Clefairy. <I...> His tail, just a moment ago excited and erect from Ping's accusation, droops to the floor, and his ears go limp. <... I didn't... I haven't even met you before,> he whimpers, backing up into himself. He's obviously submitting, though whether it's from shame or simple fright of being attacked by two or three pokemon at one time seems to be unclear. <I... I mean, um...> His eyes look up at Ping, and he smiles very, very slightly, though it's far from a kind smile. It's very nervous and none too sincere. <I... don't want you to go away, I mean, you seem nice so far...>

Ping's hurt expression melts a little bit, now recessing into confusion. "Fairy clefairy?" <Aren't you Peppy?> she asks. Obviously he is Peppy, but. <I've seen you lots of times,> she says. <I thought. You explained a buncha stuff the first time, but the last time you told me to go away. I was lost, and so happy to see you, and...> she trails off, tilting her head and blinking slowly. She could've sworn this was the right Pokemon, and it reads on her face. But now she doubts her own memory.

The frown on Navarone's face does not diminish at all throughout the conversation. He stares at the puppy pokemon with a single glaring and accusing eye, staring with all his might in hopes that the pup will remember something, or stop lying, whichever seems more appropriate. He always knew that the pup's lack of intelligence would get him into trouble-- he just didn't expect it to happen to Ping, of all the pokemon he knew. And as the Clefairy explains further, he turns back to the Growlithe for confirmation. <Is this true Peppy? Don't tell me you don't remember. That has gotten you places before, but not this time.> He almost seems confident that Peppy is the real culprit here, as his suspicions confirm. He relaxes somewhat, his former pose of attack is now his usual sitting position. His tails aren't wrapped around him though; they swing annoyedly at the pup's unsure nature.

Soki takes his turn at not conversing with the others. What goes around comes around, he supposes. Still, if he's not going to speak, he's going to keep his thoughts in step, at least. So... Peppy's not the brightest pokemon. It's likely that he's forgotton what he's done, if he's done anything. This might also be a case of a misunderstanding on Ping's part, or, to put it better, a misinterpretation. Both are likely, and it's even possible that both have happened. I need more information before I can make a judgement, and for that I have to listen. So, Soki does.

Peppy seems up his submissive stance, and he even takes a little step back, lowering himself further to the floor. His teeth are clenched together, partially in order to make himself look more aggressive (hee hee! Peppy, aggressive. Right), partially because he's nervous to the point of fright. He takes another backstep when Navarone accuses him, shaking his head. Wonder if he'll get desperate enough to start crying his way out of this situation. <I... I don't...> His whimpers are quiet and stuttered, though to their word, true. Supposing Navarone's not actively looking to accuse Peppy, he might be able to tell that the Growlithe really, at least, isn't faking his fright - but then, accusing Peppy might be the only solution to this dilemma. <I... if I did, I'm really sorry....> Another backstep. If there's one thing Peppy really can't take, it's negative attention. It drains on him like crazy.

Ping spins around to Navarone. "Fairy clefairy," <Don't be angry, Navarone,> she tells the Vulpix, trying to calm him and herself down. She then turns her attention to Peppy. "Fairy fay?" <You don't remember anything?> She tries out a smile, but it doesn't work so well. <Maybe I got the wrong Pokemon, that's all,> she sighs out, flapping her wings slowly. <I've met a lot of fire-types. I met a Growlithe once, and I thought he was a good friend. But then when I needed him, he just... wanted me to go away. I thought you were him.>

And as the pup admits his own mistake, Navarone just lets his accusing stare fade into neutrality. Despite whether or not the pup is guilty of his crime, at least the matter is settled now, and Navarone feels no need to go on pressing the issue. If anything, he takes this time to dwell on his actions. What if Ping was accusing the wrong person? Then he'd be an accomplice to an unjust punishment, wouldn't it? Yeah, it takes Nav a while to acknowledge the brevity of his actions. Lost in the heat of it, and all that. And then Ping tells him to pipe down and cool it. And as she continues to explain her little misunderstanding, Navarone's ears droop, his head hangs somewhat. Oh dear.. He shakes himself a bit, then he speaks up again, as if to hide his regretful nature. <Well, *ahem* at least the matter is settled, for now.> He turns back to the thoughtful Sandslash, and attempts to direct the groups attention over to him. <Well, what do you think?>

The sky is grey-black, without moon or stars. The air is cold and wet, and there is little wind. Snow flurries fall. It is easier to feel the flakes landing than it is to see them, in the darkness.

Soki twists his lips around thoughtfully, which is a very emphatic gesture considering his anatomy. At last, he says, <I think this is a simple case of a misunderstanding. If you don't mind me saying so, Peppy, your memory isn't the best it could be, so you might have said something unkind that you don't remember saying. On the other hand, Ping might have taken something Peppy said the wrong way, perhaps more harshly than he'd expected her to. But, in the end, we've gotton it sorted out and everyone's happy, so let's just enjoy each other's company, eh?> Soki hopes that ruling's judicious enough. Heaven knows he's dealt with enough injustice to not want to create more of it.

Peppy grins a little at Ping, though it's so insecure and so darn near frightened that he may as well not even be smiling at all. His entire body is shaky, his stance tense, his eyes nervous bouncing between the three pokemon. <It's... all right.> Is he talking to Soki or to Ping? Well. The matter is sort of settled, and, lifting his head up high, Peppy turns his head to the side, glancing back at his sleeping mate out of the corner of his eye. <I... I really think I need to get back to sleep.> Without so much as a farewell or a good wishes, Peppy whirls around and takes his first step back to his little corner of the barn, and will continue towards it unless stopped by any of the three pokemon. Is he guilty? Or simply embarrassed?

<Then it's settled. No longer shall we dwell on this subject>, Navarone announces. But knowing Navarone, he doesn't take his own word for it, as he does think about what had transpired in the past few minutes. It's quite obvious that he's doubtful of his actions-- his direct accusation of the Growlithe was fueled not by his wanting to help his Clefairy friend, but out of the desire to prove Peppy wrong.. because all this while, he's always been right. No matter what his intelligence might suggest, Peppy somehow has the natural ability to set things right-- something Navarone has tried to achieve, but without much success. <.. Me too.>, Nav adds, solemnly, as he pads over to his own place of rest, careful not to step in Peppy's pool of drool in the process of doing so. And as he curls up to rest, one thought runs through his head; what made him do what he just did?

Soki is already at his place of rest, so that issue's covered for him. That, and he feels that he made the right judgement in that neither of the two people who could've been hurt by his summary were. Or they both feel at fault, which would really be bad. D'ah, Soki's interpersonal skills have never been great, unless you count those that involve a wrestling ring and exchanging blows. Another issue to ponder...